Smart phones, tablet computers and similar devices have for some time been provided with the capability to download, install and execute various application programs. Apple Inc.'s iPhone™, iPod Touch™, and iPad™, smart phones based on Google Inc.'s Android™, Nokia Corporation's Symbian™ or Microsoft Corporation's Windows Mobile™ operating systems, and Research In Motion Limited's Blackberry™ devices are all examples of such platforms. To varying degrees, such applications exploit features and functionalities of these platforms in order to provide services to their respective users. In addition, some applications require access to personal information of the users, such as the user's location, the camera on the smart phone, contact lists and the like. In the remaining discussion, the term “mobile platform” will be used to mean all such devices.
So long as applications are well-behaved, that is operating in accordance with their stated or implied intentions, users retain control of their personal information. However, not all applications are well-behaved. Some applications may, whether for malicious reasons or simply due to sloppy programming, expose or seek access to a user's personal information for reasons seemingly unconnected with the stated or perceived purpose of the application. Often, users are unaware of such risks.